6 month progress report

[p_b82]

Hey Folks.

I thought I'd put a post up about my journey so far - wasn't quite sure where to put it, so thought here's as good as anywhere

Little background to start:
I started indoor rowing at the end of June because I'd turned 40, I wanted an exercise that I could do through winter inside & I'd started to notice that middle aged spread was a very real thing as I had to buy new clothes. My weight was up to 14st9 (205lbs/93kg)- from being low/mid 13st range ~185lbs/84kg (when at my more preferred weight) and I could see it was going to keep rising if I didn't make some changes.
With Covid and a house move I wasn't doing the same exercise as I had been; the swimming pools closed and travel to mountains was restricted, but my activity hadn't gone to zero, so my fitness was still ok - but not great.

My first row was a just over 10min row where I went a touch over 2k; my warm up is included in that time/distance.... I remember that it absolutely ruined me; but 3 days later I was back on the machine having another go.

Since then, I've got into a loose routine where I try to row 3x a week; typically 3 medium effort sessions, I throw the odd hard TT in there just to test myself and/or do easy session or skip things if I'm just not feeling it.
For me now an easy session would be 45mins at a low pace (~75%mhr), medium would be faster, but still low pace and about an hour (~85% mhr); hard sessions could be set distance/time time trials or up to 1.5hr or ~95%mhr).

There has not been a single interval session performed - but some of the TT's have been equally as brutal as that first row was.

My sister commented when she saw in in mid December that I looked a lot "broader and more triangular" in shape; implying that some of the spread round the waist had started to shift around the place a bit.

As a general statement, my fitness is a lot better, my rows are a little faster at each effort bounding, and on a walk I've done a lot over the past couple of years, I ploughed up a hill with ease that had normally required "effort" (either a breather or significant reduction in pace).

I weighed myself today, it's long enough post Christmas that I've started to work off the excesses, and I was surprised to see that I was 13st11 (193lbs/87.5kg); I've dropped back down a belt hole as well, I'm also sleeping better again too.
The weight loss isn't the driving factor for me rowing, but the shape change as a result - a better muscle/fat ratio - was one of my target aims.

So while it's a post to celebrate my progress, it's also hopefully a note to show that even with medium effort/frequency the impact to the body through rowing can be significant in a relatively short time if you can stick at it - and you don't have to be a superhuman - in order to start to make those changes too

[Sakly]

Great post to encourage others
Your journey shows clearly that sports activities must not be boring or done with a given structure. It works well if you do like you want to to have fun

So while it's a post to celebrate my progress, it's also hopefully a note to show that even with medium effort/frequency the impact to the body through rowing can be significant in a relatively short time if you can stick at it - and you don't have to be a superhuman - in order to start to make those changes too

And the opposite is true as well. I got my erg exactly today one year ago. I do not think to be a superhuman, but I thought to be very fit. Jumped on the rower, pulled good times already in the beginning. BUT how big the improvement were within this year - I was not aware of how much more I am capable.
So even at a relatively good starting point you can make huge gains with a rower as well!

[Ombrax]

Congratulations!

Once you've started, the most important thing is to keep at it. You don't mention if you do any other exercises (weights, core, etc) or if you did, I missed it, but one way to increase the variety is to also spend some time doing other stuff too. It will all pay off in terms of physical benefits and help keep boredom at bay.

Good luck : )

[MPx]

Great post Peter and many congrats on making the change and sticking with it - definitiely an inspiration for others. I started back in 1997 at the same age as you for the same reasons (having been a very active Squash player since my teens, stopped due to knee issues). If you make it a part of what you do and find small goals/targets/workouts which you enjoy and keep you at it, then it will serve you well into old age.

[p_b82]

Congratulations!

Once you've started, the most important thing is to keep at it. You don't mention if you do any other exercises (weights, core, etc) or if you did, I missed it, but one way to increase the variety is to also spend some time doing other stuff too. It will all pay off in terms of physical benefits and help keep boredom at bay.

Good luck : )

I don't do anything else currently (beyond housework/gardening), I like to walk/hike, but as I am on my own, I am a bit of a fair weather walker as well (don't mind the rain, but I walk solo, so there's increased risk in bad weather), hence the indoor activity I could do at home.
But when the weather looks to be mostly dry I'll head out for 2-5hrs, typically on a Sunday - 10-18km is the sweet spot for me, I've gone longer but I needed some longer rest periods throughout and that can add quite a bit of extra time.

That was where my base fitness start-point was - not zero, but definitely not as fit as I have been in my past.

Not all at the same time, but from age 20-40 I've: played badminton, hiked, cycled, climbed (boulder), swam, weights (dumbbell exercises), bodyweight exercises; but I could never stick doing them frequently enough to get into a proper routine for various reasons/factors.
For some of the activities, historic injuries prevented me from reaching past standards too, which was disappointing/demotivating; so starting something new this time round appealed.